Camping and tailgating are popular recreational activities enjoyed by many. Some people camp so that they may enjoy the outdoors, and others use camping as an inexpensive alternative to staying in hotels. Tailgating is a great way to meet and eat before ball games, and has become quite the ritual for many season ticket holders.
Although many campers enjoy being in the outdoors, often campers like to enjoy the luxuries of home while camping. For example, many campers bring lounge chairs or hammocks, portable air mattresses or cots, and similar items to make a camping experience more comfortable. Similarly, people often like to enjoy home luxuries while tailgating.
One item that most campers and tailgaters have to learn to do without is the availability of hot water. Most homes are equipped with running hot water, supplied by a hot water heater that is connected with the home plumbing. The user simply turns on a faucet, and after a short delay, hot water is supplied. The hot water may be used for bathing, cleaning, cooking, or washing clothes.
In a camping or tailgating environment, if a user desires hot water, the user must obtain water, for example, from a faucet or other water source, and place the water in a container over a fire, such as a camp stove or an open fire. The water must then be heated to a desired temperature. This process typically takes several minutes, and water temperatures that are obtained using this process are relatively imprecise. The water that has been heated is hard to dispense because it is in a heated pot and the pots often are not designed for pouring. Also, if a user desires a lot of heated water, the process must be repeated until enough hot water is produced. Moreover, a user risks overheating the water to a point where it is dangerous to handle, especially for children.
In practice, because the process for preparing and obtaining heated water is so difficult when camping or tailgating, most users typically wash dishes, prepare food, and wash their face and hands with unheated water. Typically, the users will heat water only as necessary for food preparation and for making instant coffee and tea, for example.